The Filtered Excellence: September 4, 2014
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more:
WATCH THIS:
Frontera starring Ed Harris, Michael Pena, Eva Longoria and Amy Madigan. The long standing struggles between Americans and their neighbors south of the border is at the heart of the feature film debut by writer-director Michael Berry. Ed Harris plays Roy, a retired Arizona sheriff now living on a ranch with his wife Livy (played by Harris’ real life wife Amy Madigan). When Livy is murdered while riding her horse along a trail that straddles the Mexican border, a grieving Roy tries to piece together what happened, who did it and why. Was it Miguel (Michael Pena), a young husband and father trying to illegally enter the United States for the second time? Or was it Jose (Michael Ray Escamilla), a family friend of Miguel’s father in law and traveling companion? Perhaps it was the group of teenagers who were heading off to the local ridge for some not-so-innocent fun? Berry, who co-wrote the script with Louis Moulinet, crafts a modern day western with the undertones of a tense whodunnit. Harris adds another outstanding performance to a long, rich career as the cranky, yet honorable Roy. The extended scene with Madigan shows the textures and nuances of a long time marriage that is rarely seen on screen anymore. Pena is also solid as the head of a growing family looking to find a better life for his wife and young children – only to find himself at the center of a murder. His scenes with Longoria, who plays his wife, also shows a refreshing depth, tenderness and sensitivity. The film also looks fantastic: Cinematographer Joel Ransom captures the vast Southwestern landscape in all of its vivid, yet foreboding glory. One of the more promising films to see this fall. Frontera opens in New York, on Demand and on Itunes on Friday and in select theaters September 12th.
Order Frontera
on Amazon.com.
Memphis starring Willis Earle Beale. A central hub for the blues and the birthplace of rock n roll, Memphis has always been both inspiring and mysterious. The mystery of one of American music’s greatest cities is at the heart of the visually arresting debut film by writer/director Tim Sutton. Real life musician Willis Earle Beale stars as a musician with enormous talent and promise wandering through the streets searching for love, happiness and above all, inspiration. With a cast of characters that includes lovers, hangers on, friends, preachers and hustlers amidst a city that is both rural and urban, Beale’s journey becomes one of self-discovery and acceptance. With a huge assist from cinematographer Chris Dapkins, Sutton makes Music City come alive with its startling imagery that begs you to get on the next flight there. Beale, in his film debut is exceptional as the musician struggling to met the expectations that he and others have placed on him. He captures all of the joy, pain, struggle and doubts that befall any person looking to excel in the arts. The movie is just under 90 minutes, but it will stay with you long after it is over. Memphis opens in New York and Vimeo On Demand this Friday.
Fashion Rocks Live 9/9 at 9 on CBS. Make no mistake about it: The relationship between music and fashion has always been intertwined. As part of New York Fashion Week, CBS will broadcast live from The Barclays Center in Brooklyn a charity concert that celebrates the union. Ryan Seacrest will host with Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson, Duran Duran, KISS, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Miranda Lambert, Usher, Luke Bryan and more all scheduled to perform. As with an live broadcast, expect the unexpected and perhaps even a wardrobe malfunction or two. Fashion Rocks airs live at 9pm Eastern on CBS.
http://www.fashionrockslive.com/ for more information.>
A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY. This HBO documentary is produced by and features Steve Buscemi. A former New York fireman, Buscemi takes the audience through the story of the brotherhood of firefighters in NYC. The documentary features the New York City Fire Department and how its firefighting techniques have changed over the decades. The only thing that hasn’t changed are the dedicated men and women who make a career out of keeping New York safe. It’s a look at the special kind of person it takes to make it on FDNY. A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY airs Monday, September 8th on HBO at 9 pm et. It’s definitely something inspiring to watch the week of the country’s observation of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Last Days In Vietnam. Rory Kennedy’s latest documentary focuses on the waning days of American involvement in the Vietnam War. Director Rory Kennedy has covered a vast list of topics in her films, from poverty in Mississippi in “A Boy’s Life” to the AIDS crisis in
Pandemic: Facing AIDS, to her award winning doc about the war in Iraq, “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”. Now she goes back in time for her latest film. Last Days In Vietnam captures the moments as the war was ending and American troops had mostly pulled out of Saigon while North Vietnamese troops were moving in. It’s shows the brutal physical and emotional struggle of the Americans who feel they must do something to help their South Vietnam allies and friends in Saigon who will be left behind for an invading army to do with as they please. The film talks to those who were there and their desperate attempts to save people. Last Days In Vietnam opens Friday, September 5th with screenings in New York City and then opens across the country after that.
LISTEN TO THIS:
lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar by Robert Plant. Led Zeppelin fans have been mystified – if not outright pissed – that Robert Plant continues to be, the lone holdout for a reunion tour. All the stars seemed to lined up for it: A successful live album, a massive reissuing of all of the classic material and a new generation of fans (not to mention promoters) eager hear one of the most influential groups in rock history. But rather than cash in on what could have been rock’s first billion dollar tour, Plant decided to stay on the path that he started on back in 2002: New interpretations of American roots music, English folk music and world music. For his 10th solo album, Plant and his band The Sensational Space Shifters effortlessly weave these worlds together. The styles and influences are only echo in and out, never quite fully revealing themselves, but find a way to make itself heard. Rich, mature and free of the vocal workouts that were required in his former band, Plant has more diverse, textured phrasings now than he’s ever had in his career. Another late period winner by one of the more premier vocalists in rock. lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar will be available on Tuesday, September 9th on Amazon, Itunes and all major music retail outlets.
You can also go to www.robertplant.com for tour dates and more information.
Or order lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar
from Amazon.com.
DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: 50 Years Of John Waters: How Much Can You Take? @ The Film Society Of Lincoln Center. John Waters has been shocking audiences with his brand of crass, vulgar, and unapologetically tasteless films for over five decades. So perhaps its beyond ironic that the upscale Film Society Of Lincoln Center will honor Waters with a complete retrospective of his work. It will include early shorts that he made the mid to late 60s; early features (Mondo Trasho and Multiple Maniacs); his seminal works with the late Divine (Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Polyester) and mainstream ventures (Cry-Baby, Cecil B. Demented, A Dirty Shame, Hairspray, Pecker, Serial Mom). If that wasn’t enough, Waters also curates ‘Movies I’m Jealous That I Didn’t Make’, a series of films that Waters says are ‘extreme, astoundingly perverse, darkly funny, and, most importantly, supremely surprising films that turn me green with envy.’ Waters will be on hand throughout the retrospective for Q&A’s, conservations, film introductions and much more. A fitting tribute to one of the most influential and admired filmmakers in independent – and mainstream – cinema. 50 Years Of John Waters: How Much Can You Take? will run at The Film Society Of Lincoln Center September 5th through the 14th.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Old New York Live Hosted by members of The Roots. The Bell House in Brooklyn is host to a variety show throwback, Old New York Live. The idea behind this concept is the old television variety shows and New York’s earlier music history where acts of all different kinds of backgrounds and genres would appear in the same showcases. There will be performances by disc jockeys, rappers, and performance artists. Old New York Live will be doing a series of 4 of these variety shows throughout the month of September. The shows will be hosted by members of the world famous Roots band. Also known as the house band for the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Past and present members of The Roots will host and perform at Old New York Live including Captain Kirk Douglas, Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter, Mark Kelley, and Ray Angry. The next Old New York Live will be Tuesday, September 9th at the Bell House in Brooklyn.
NEW YORK CITY: Billy, How Did You Do It? In 1988, German director Volker Schlöndorff sat down for a series of interviews with legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder who had won Oscars for his films, “The Apartment”, “Sunset Blvd.” and “The Lost Weekend”, plus the Irving G. Thalberg Award. In this series, Schlöndorff picked Wilder’s brain about his filmmaking process. Everything was put together in a documentary, “Billy Wilder Speaks”. Monday, September 8th at the Film Forum in New York City, there will be a rare screening of this documentary piece. It’s rare because Wilder thought it was not dignified enough and he did not want this shown in his lifetime. Director Volker Schlöndorff will be on hand at the Film Forum to introduce his piece and talk about getting to know one of the great film directors of all time. “Billy, How Did You Do It?” is at the Film Forum for one showing only on Monday at 7:45 pm.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Kubrick, An Art Show Tribute. This exhibit opens Saturday and runs through September 27th. Over 60 artists came together to re-imagine the worlds created by Stanley Kubrick in his films. The show is in honor of one of the great film directors and his lifetime of work. The art pieces are done in different mediums from sculpture to painting. There will be art inspired by the Kubrick films, “A Clockwork Orange”, “The Shining”, “Full Metal Jacket”, “Eyes Wide Shut”, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and others. Kubrick: An Art Show Tribute opens Saturday, September 6th at 6 pm at the Spoke Art Gallery.
